


Like Falling In Love

by Somethingoutofnothing



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Inspired by 2AM and Ed Sheeran, M/M, Originally but not anymore, Tumblr Fic, Younger Alec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 23:54:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10559860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somethingoutofnothing/pseuds/Somethingoutofnothing
Summary: "It’s not until he finds himself standing in front of a man playing a guitar that he realizes he’d been following the music all along. The man doesn’t quite fit the description of a street musician, at least not compared to the other ones that Alec has seen up and down the streets during his many visits with Izzy. No microphone to project his voice, no speakers, no sheets of music, not even any promotional material. It’s as if this man is doing it purely for the enjoyment and Alec is entranced."





	

Alec isn’t really sure how he always seems to get dragged into these situations; he’s eighteen years old, dammit. He should be able to say no to his little sister. He always, _always_ gets sucked into going shopping with Izzy because he’s ‘a good brother’ and it’s 'bonding’ and his 'death stare scares the creeps away’, which he supposes is all true, but when will it be Jace’s turn for once?

But this time, Alec is just over it. Izzy’s been at it for hours. Not just two or three hours either, but six. He’s allowed himself to be dragged from store to store for six. Long. Hours. And he’s done. There’s only so many times Izzy can ask him which shade of red he likes best. Really they all look the same to him and he’s pretty sure she hasn’t noticed that he’s said the second one looks best every single time she’s asked. He loves his sister though, despite her apparent need to torture him, and maybe he does enjoy the time when it’s just the two of them, away from the institute, so he can’t bring himself to tell her that he doesn’t want to be there anymore.

Instead, while she’s in the change rooms again, for what feels like and probably literally is, the hundredth time, Alec slips out into the street. His rune is activated so no one can see him, and he just starts to walk. He doesn’t have a destination in mind, and he doesn’t really know why he’s still walking. He should just turn around and go back to Izzy before she even notices he’s gone. Instead he keeps walking, weaving in and out of the groups of mundanes, completely unnoticed.

It’s not until he finds himself standing in front of a man playing a guitar that he realizes he’d been following the music all along. The man doesn’t quite fit the description of a street musician, at least not compared to the other ones that Alec has seen up and down the streets during his _many_ visits with Izzy. This man’s guitar case is closed, not like the others who all had spare change thrown in. He doesn’t have any equipment either, other than the instrument he’s playing. No microphone to project his voice, no speakers, no sheets of music, not even any promotional material. It’s as if this man is doing it purely for the enjoyment and Alec is entranced.

Being a Shadowhunter, as well as being who he was (his siblings take joy in reminding him that he’s eighteen, not thirty and that he is allowed to have fun sometimes), means there wasn’t much room for doing things just for the pleasure. He’s trained all his life to be a better soldier. He’s tried to do what was expected so that he could one day take over the institute and please his parents. Even his bow, the thing he gets the most enjoyment from, is something that he uses with a purpose.

But this man, who Alec is starting to notice (who is he kidding, he’d noticed immediately) is quite attractive and very well dressed, seems to just get pleasure from putting the music out in the world. Alec cautiously moves closer to the man, close enough that he can see the paint on his nails that was obviously done with care and precision, the color matching the blue streak in the man’s hair. And he sits cross-legged in front of the man, just listening to the softly sung words.

The man can’t see him of course, but for the first time, Alec wishes he could. He could easily make himself visible again obviously, but he thinks part of the magic is that the man doesn’t know he’s being watched. Alec continues to watch, unmoving, getting lost in the sound of the man’s voice and how it mingles with the strums of the guitar in a way that Alec thinks is almost perfect, until he feels his phone vibrate insistently.

It’s Izzy, obviously, berating him for wondering off. And a quick check of the time tells him he’s been gone- that he’s been just listening to this man’s voice- for nearly an hour. No wonder Izzy is worried. He doesn’t want to leave, but his sister has effectively popped the bubble that he’s made for himself and the musical man and forcefully pulled him back to the real word.

He sighs and stands, watching the man until the end of the current song, and for the first time, the man meets his eyes. Or at least it seems like he’s meeting Alec’s eyes. But he can’t be… Could he have known Alec was there the whole time? Alec can feel himself blushing deeply at the possibility, but the only acknowledgement the man gives that he could see him was a wink and a smirk, before he turns his attention back to the chords he’s playing.

Alec thinks about saying something, about finding out for sure if the man can actually see him or if he’s just imagining things, but before he can, Izzy is there and she’s angry. She’s telling him that he can’t just leave like that and 'you have a phone. Use it so I know you’re not dying somewhere’, but Alec’s not listening, because he’s pretty sure he can hear the man laughing at him, even though he’s obviously trying to keep a straight face. Izzy doesn’t notice; too busy telling Alec off using words like irresponsible and careless, words that sounds wrong coming from Izzy. Alec can’t help but think the man’s laugh sounds as nice as when he’s singing.

Eventually Izzy’s rant gets cut off by her phone, much to Alec’s relief. It’s Jace apparently, telling them to get back to the institute and why isn’t Alec answering his phone? Alec rolls his eyes, but follows after his sister without a word to defend himself. She’s right, it was irresponsible to walk off like that, but he can’t bring himself to regret it. It was only an hour, but it was an hour that he’d been completely at ease, able to relax and be himself, not worrying about who saw.

As he’s walking away, he can hear the man singing again, a song Alec’s pretty sure he vaguely recognizes, even though he’s not sure from where.

_“And your heart’s against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck, I’m falling for your eyes, but they don’t know me yet, and with a feeling I’ll forget, I’m in love now…”_

Alec casts one last look over at the man before he turns the corner and he knows a smile is threatening to break onto his face. He doesn’t even try to stop it, because the man is watching him walk away as he sings and Alec just has to know. He has to know if this man can see him, if there’s a chance they could meet again someday.

So he turns back to the man and waves.

The man does a finger wiggle wave in return and Alec’s pretty sure his grin could actually split his face.

Alec continues to listen, even as he forces himself to walk away.

_“This feels like falling in love, falling in love, falling in love…”_

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on Tumblr, somethingxoutxofxnothing :)


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